Recently, a technique called emulation, wherein software developed for certain target hardware is operated on hardware different from the target hardware, is gaining attention. In the emulation technique, hardware resources provided by the target hardware, for example, a CPU (Central Processing Unit), memory, a disk system, or the like, are virtually implemented by an emulator program. When an application program to be executed on the target hardware is going to access those hardware resources, an emulator program that implements the hardware resources to be accessed inputs or outputs data as though the hardware has actually responded. This allows the application program to operate.
Generally, an emulation device for games has a hardware structure different from conventional game devices and sometimes does not comprise a ROM drive that drives a ROM or a ROM cartridge for games, a slot for mounting external memory medium such as a memory card, or the like, which are used by conventional game devices. Meanwhile, recent developments in technology increase the capacity of memory medium dramatically, and emulation devices of recent years are configured to be able to equip a memory medium having a capacity larger than that of a memory medium used with conventional game devices. Therefore, with the emulation devices of recent years, the ROM image of a game program is read into such a large-capacity external memory medium or a internal memory medium, and the game is executed, accordingly. See, for example, Japanese patent application: Publication No. 2001-314644 (hereinafter referred to as patent document 1).
In past years, stationary game consoles are commonly used. Recent innovations in technology allow mobile game devices to realize performance by no means inferior to that of game consoles. In such a situation, ideally, a system with which existing data can be used efficiently in a circumstance where game consoles and mobile game devices both exist is desired. However, since the hardware and software specifications of respective game consoles or mobile game devices are different, there are lots of obstacles to establish such a system. Therefore, the development of a game system where a game console and a mobile game device can use data efficiently by using an emulation technique or an information processing technique is highly expected.
Furthermore, the hardware of game devices are tend to be renewed every few years. A new model game device can retain compatibility with an old game device by installing an emulator program. In this regard, it is preferable that a user can use save data, stored while playing with an old model game device, also with the new model game device without modification. By realizing an environment that allows replication processing of save data without extra work by a user and as efficiently as possible, a user-friendly game system can be provided for a user.
Therefore, a purpose of the present invention is to provide a technique relating to a game system that can utilize data efficiently and relating to a game device implementing that kind of game system.